Brooklyn's Key
by TheLoneReed
Summary: Every few centuries someone is given a chance. A chance to leave their world of pain & suffering, to another one, one with hope and love. For Hannah, she’s given the chance. But is she holding onto pain? Is her stonewall shielding when there’s no need?
1. Prologue

Prologue::  
  
"You get your slutty, whore self upstairs before I kill you!" raged Hannah's father.  
  
"Honey, just do what your father says. he knows what's best for you." muttered her mother, stumbling across the kitchen, the few inches of brandy sloshing around in the bottle clamped tightly in her right hand.  
  
Hannah walked slowly upstairs. She did not run, she did not scream, she did not bang her fists and yell. She just walked upstairs calmly and walked slowly to her room. The hard floor made her bare feet ache and want to fall down right there and then and just die. She walked into her room and closed the door. She sat down on her tiny bed and looked down at herself. Bruises covered her arms, legs, and pretty much her whole body. The black eye she had gotten a couple days before when she had asked her father for a blanket was mostly faded, only the slight outer rim showed.  
  
Her honey hair hung limp around her back. Her eyes were an emerald green, a very unusual color for someone with such blonde hair, but she was also quite an unusual person. Her body was the only part about her she really liked, she was fairly skinny, but not lanky, and she was a fairly good height.  
  
She quickly undressed and switched into her dreaming outfit. She pulled on some black pants, a white shirt, some old worn out suspenders she had found one day in the attic, and her old, weak black shoes. These were her most comfortable clothes. They helped her to forget about the world around her and allow her to dream peacefully about a life she might have had if she wasn't who she was.  
  
She reached into her organized, incredibly small pile of clothes that she had made some sort of a structure around with an old cardboard box. She lived in a laundry room inside of the house. She had made do with it for fourteen years and it was something that she called home. All she could fit in was her small, twin sized bed, and her "closet". that was the cardboard box.  
  
As she pulled out her old jewelry box her Grandmother had given her when she was a baby, she smiled. It was of course, empty, but she treasured it more than anything else in the world. On the top it said, "to my Granddaughter, From your Grandmother.. You are special, you are beautiful, and you are loved."  
  
This quote had kept her alive these fourteen years. Just looking at it made a tear roll slowly down her cheek. She opened the polished wooden lid and was prepared to see the empty box before her she had seen so many times. But there, lying in the dusty box, was a necklace.  
  
It was silver with an intricate design embedded into its outer rim. Inside of it lay a bright, electric red jewel which shone from what seemed the depths of a world unknown. Hannah was in a trance looking at that necklace. it seemed to call out to her, its fine silver chain curled delicately around it. She reached out her hand and her fingers stretched toward the gleaming metal. Nothing in the world seemed to exist except her and the mesmerizing necklace. Then, her fingertips touched . . . . . . 


	2. Its Gale

Hannah tumbled onto her back with an, "oomph!" As the dust cleared around her she started to see the scene around her. She was on a dusty, un- paved road, old fashioned buildings standing around her, and people in dresses and petticoats and cloth pants, suspenders, and vests, and-and-and caps! Just like newsie caps, she thought to herself.  
  
For the longest time she had been in love with newsies. Every single one of them, when she managed to get away from her father's beatings, she would lie down in her bed and imagine that she was living with the newsies. That she was friends and every second they would break out into some glorious, show stopping tune and that they could go on strike and she would be there in the front, with the best of them, ready to soak any of those scabs that dared to stand against the newsie strike.  
  
But she had always known, though she cared not to think about it, that it wasn't real. That her real life in New York was full of pain and misery, verbal and physical abuse from her father, and her mother always whipping out the brandy when "it just got too much for her." She knew it was her fault her father beat her. He hadn't wanted her, he had wanted a boy. Her mother always said, "You know, if you'd just do what he said he would leave you alone." then she would tip a little off to the side and puke. But how could she do what he wanted, she always just stood there and took the beatings, muttering an occasional "ow", or moaning because if she didn't he would keep on going. If she wasn't in agony it just wasn't as pleasurable for him.  
  
Hannah shook the dust out of her thick, shiny, sparkling honey gold hair and stood up. Her mind was whirling with possibilities. Where in the world was she. Had she fallen through some unknown vortex to the world of the newsies!?!? her mind threw out to her excitedly. She laughed softly to herself. "I've probably fallen into that exhibit they have at the museum, "Life on the Frontier", or whatever they call it." she mumbled to herself, aloud.  
  
"Well, I don't think so, and if you have, I've definitely turned down the wrong street." said a handsome, polite, thick New York accent from above.  
  
Hannah's head shot up. She couldn't believe her eyes, she was staring into the face of none other that Racetrack Higgins. This wasn't possible, maybe this was a dream, just a horrible dream. Or was it horrible? "Umm, I'm really sorry, but could you tell me where I am?" she asked, in a dazed sort of way.  
  
"Well, you're in Manhattan." he said, laughing. "My name's Race, what's yours?"  
  
"I know your name!" she said, confused.  
  
"Yeah, cause' I just toldja." he teased.  
  
Hannah just shook herself hard and reached a trembling hand up to feel her forehead. It wasn't that warm, but maybe she was just going crazy. Do you have to have a temperature to be going crazy? she thought to worriedly.  
  
Race noticed her strange movements and her vague and confused expression. "Here, you need to lie down. Why don't I get you to da lodging house, yous can rest der." She nodded dazedly, and pulled away when he reached to take her arm. "I'm sorry, miss, but I can't take yous back wittout knowing yer name."  
  
She would have gladly gone without telling him, but she didn't want him to keep calling her miss. "Its Ha-" she started to say Hannah, but then decided on a different name. if this was a different world, she was going to use a different name. A name she had always dreamed of. "It's Gale." she muttered. She loved to sing, and when she was little her grandmother used to hold her in her arms and tell her she sang like a nightingale.  
  
"That's a gorgeous name." smiled Race.  
  
"Thanks" she said stiffly. Then a newspaper was flung at her feet. The title read: Trolley Strike Rumble In The Streets of New York Leads to 4 Deaths." The trolley strike fight, the fire, Les had fallen asleep on Jack's shoulder and the Jacobs family had eaten the cake that was supposed to be saved for Mr. Jacob's birthday. This can't be happening.  
  
A small boy ran up to her and picked the paper up. "Sorry, lady, dose Delancey brudders we're messin wit da papes ova dere." he said before running off towards an alley.  
  
Race barely caught her before she hit the ground in a dead faint. He picked up her limp body like a groom would a bride as they walked over the threshold, and strode towards the Manhattan lodging house. 


	3. We're a Union now, the News Boys union

Race hurried along the road, making the dust swirl up around him. He jogged along the bend, still holding Gale tightly in his arms. Luckily, she didn't weigh much at all. But that was because she was never fed much at all. He stepped up the old, worn out, creaky wooden stairs to the porch of the Manhattan lodging house. He swung the old door open carefully and stepped inside.  
  
The house wasn't exactly warm and plush. It was more cold and poor. But it gave of such a sense of home that no other place could. A small, elderly man with a warm, kind face walked into the small foyer.  
  
"Race, I told ya, no bringing girls home. I don't care if they're already asleep!" He teased.  
  
"Please, Kloppman, this is serious. I just found her on the street and she looked so confused. She didn't even know where she was. Then a boy walked up to get a paper that had been thrown and she fainted, right then and there. I didn't know what to do." Race said earnestly, his face tangled into a mess of worry and perplexion.  
  
"Calm down, Race." Said the old man, giving him an understanding smile that gently pulled on the wrinkles that were contoured in his face delicately. But he quickly took on a more serious face as he started to lead Race up the stairs. "Just lay her on your bed, and I'll get a warm washcloth. You check if she's hurt."  
  
Race gulped awkwardly and nervously. "You-you mean undress her?" He said furrowing his brow.  
  
Kloppman shook his head in an annoyed but still loving way. "Actually Race, I think I'll check her for wounds. You just better get the cool cloth."  
  
Race sighed a deep, relieved sigh. He straightened up, trying to look important. He coughed in a somewhat regal way and said, "I'll go get that towel right away, Kloppy. Because, well, she needs it. And I will do anything for someone in need." And with that said he turned gracefully and walked down the stairs.  
  
Kloppman laughed softly to himself, and his thin lips that when smiling could make you feel like if he was smiling at you, you had done something very wonderful to be worthy of such a love broke into a wide smile as he heard a great racket, some hideous creaking, and an "Ow!" From Race.  
  
"I'm okay!" Said race from the bottom of the stairs, picking himself up. "Just, you know, stumbled a bit!"  
  
By the time race got upstairs with the cool cloth Kloppman was already done checking Gale for wounds and had clothed her in some old pants of Races and a clean shirt. "Well, Race, it looks as though this little lady has been through quite a bit. I don't know how she survived. Anyway, just keep the cloth on her forehead and make sure it's soaked with cold water. She could be out for quite a bit." Race nodded and sat down lightly on the bed beside Gale's sleeping figure. Kloppman stood up slowly, stretching out his back. "I'll be downstairs if you need me." He said before walking agilely out the door and shutting it peacefully behind him.  
  
Race took the washcloth gingerly and placed it on Gale's smooth, creamy forehead. He moved his fingers toward her face and tenderly swept a piece of sparkling blonde hair from its resting place across her velvety cheek.  
  
Slowly, Race saw her eyelids push open belatedly and her glossy eyes stare up at him groggily through half open green eyes. Never before had he seen such beautiful eyes. They were not a sea green, her eyes made the sea look murky and dingy. They did not sparkle like any other jewel in the world could, they made their sparkles seem bland and dull. And they were more beautiful than any other thing in the world by comparison.  
  
If Race hadn't had a girlfriend he would have leaned down right then to bestow a kiss upon those plush, pink, full lips. Suddenly, he saw her lips open. When she spoke it was scratchy and dry, but he could still hear faintly what she was saying. "We're a union now, the newsboy's union." She mumbled, and then fell back onto the pillow, unconscious yet again.  
  
Race stared at her, his mouth hung open. How could she have been at the meeting? They would have noticed her, wouldn't they? I mean, she was rather small, but if there was a girl in their midst someone would have noticed. He decided he would just have to get the answers to those questions and many more when Gale finally opened those crystal eyes again.  
  
A few hours later, Race still sat there, watching for any sign of awakening from Gale. Downstairs, he heard a door swing open. 


	4. Hey Fellas! Dere's a goil!

Race waited for what seemed like eternity for the boys to stampede over one another up the stairs and into the bunk room. Mush, the first one through the worn out, wooden door that creaked as he joyfully swung it open stopped immediately, causing a domino effect like back-up and a few nasty words that I care not to say.  
  
"Hey, fellas!" Mush yelled. "There's a goil!"  
  
After a lot of pushing and commotion the large group of the Manhattan newsies had crowded around Race's bed and were all yammering with excitement. Jack, who was the leader of the Manhattan newsies, asked Race, "Whatser name?" The other boys nodded and quieted down enough at least for race to be heard.  
  
"Her name's Gale. She's unconscious as yous can see, and yous is gunna havta keep it down around her."  
  
The boys scowled but quickly stopped pouting long enough to ask a few more questions. "How old is she?"  
  
"Looks about fourteen or fitteen, like most of us."  
  
"Where'd she come from?"  
  
"Dunno, don even think she really knows where she is."  
  
"She yous' goil?"  
  
"No, wouldn't mind it though."  
  
"She livin anywhere?"  
  
"Don't think so, when I found her she was just lyin' in da road. Thought we was on da frontier!"  
  
"Ya know Kloppman aint gunna let 'er stay. No goils allowed."  
  
"Ah, shut up Blink. Kloppman'll say its fine. One goil aint gunna be a big deal."  
  
Race straightened up slowly and shooed the boys away so that he could go on taking care of Gale diligently.  
  
"Boys!" an old but strong voice called from downstairs. "Come on down for dinner!"  
  
As the boys all clambered downstairs to eat Race pulled one of the smaller boys aside. 'Hey, Ise need yous to tell Kloppman dat I'm gunna skip dinna' tonight."  
  
The boys innocent eyes widened and he said curiously, "Yous' gunna stay up here wid da broad?"  
  
Race kindly slapped the brim of the boy's hat down onto his face and smiled. "Yeah, Ise is gunna stay up here wid da broad."  
  
The boy grinned and tumbled out the door for dinner. Race returned to his seat sitting close to Gale and looked down at her. Her face was so peaceful; she looked as though she had never been so at rest in her life. He guessed she had a lot to worry about, her face held light forms of worry wrinkles and tiny indentations of previous times where her faced had been wincing in pain.  
  
Race casually looked down at her arms that were lying limp at her side and gasped. They were covered in thick, dark, massive bruises. They looked so painful Race almost cried looking at them. They were like huge welts, wrapped around her arms that were fresh and showed a grotesque shade of coarse amethyst.  
  
Race could only imagine that most of her body looked like this, and he didn't want to imagine how it got there. His fingers reached down and gently stroked one of the bruises but he quickly pulled his hand away when even through her peaceful trance her body convulsed in pain.  
  
For some reason, he hoped with all his might that Gale wasn't living anywhere, that she needed a place to stay, and that she would choose the lodging house. He glanced at the pile of clothes Kloppy had placed aside after taking them off of Gale.  
  
They were just like the ordinary clothes that the newsies would wear now, but there was something odd about them. They seemed different, like a different making of some sort. He swept the curiousness out of his mind quickly. It was probably something she had bought at some odd store, or made herself.  
  
Race's eyes wandered down to meet Gale's tranquilly lidded ones. He smiled and cocked his head to the side in a content sort of way. Suddenly, he started, surprised.  
  
The eyelids were opening. . . . . . . . . . . .  
  
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Hope you liked that chapter and my secretive way of slipping in an enervated ambrosial cliff hanger! Harherharherharher! *pushes glasses up to nose* *snorts* PLEASE review, and, coughmakeitagoodonecough. *looks around innocently* What? Did I say something? I didn't say anything. You must be going crazy. : D I love ya all so much! You rock!!! 


	5. WHATS HAPPENING TO ME!

Race sat up and let out an excited cry. "She's waking up, you guys!" Realizing how loud he had been he closed his lips tightly and stared intently at Gale.  
  
The other boys excitedly scooted as close as possible around the bed where Gale was stirring, but had not yet lifted her leaden eyelids. Then, Gale's eyes fluttered open like a butterfly shaking the dew off of its wings as it prepares to fly. She looked around and saw about thirty boys circled around her tightly, their faces staring into her own, their expressions stretched with anticipation. Then. . . . . .  
  
she screamed.  
  
The other boys started at her scream and hurriedly tried to quiet Gale. She was trying to push herself up and out of the bed, but Race kept pushing her down firmly. It wasn't until Gale forcefully punched Race in the jaw with an amazing right hook that any progress was made.  
  
"YOW!" yelped Race, rubbing his cheek. Gale looked at him and finally calmed down enough to think about the situation before her.  
  
Wasn't race planning on taking her back to the lodging house? Where a lot of boys might live? She couldn't remember much, everything had blacked out after reading that headline, but she was smart enough to know that she wasn't in any real danger, and to know she had just punched someone who had potentially carried her a long ways to let her rest. She removed Race's hand gently from his face and stroked the newly forming bruise with her own tender hand. "I'm so sorry Racetrack, I didn't mean to. You just frightened me."  
  
He straightened up and smiled at her, loving the feeling of her cool fingers on his face. "Is' a 'right. Didn't hurt." Which they both knew was a complete lie. The Gale remembered why she had fainted and been brought to this place in the first place. Where was she? How did she get there? The necklace. . . . . . .  
  
She started to overwhelm herself again and lay back down on the pillow, allowing her gaze to switch back to the many faces encircling her. She steadied her blurry gaze and got a good look at the boys around her. She gulped despairingly. She was staring at the faces of Mush, Skittery, Dutchy, Blink, Specs, Crutchy, Stitches, and Jack Kelly. Her eyelids began to blink as if in a whirlwind, her eyes began to roll back in her head.  
  
Race realized what was happening and grabbed the cool cloth. He wrung the water out and it splashed on her face as she awoke with a jolt from her faint.  
  
"Are you alright!?!?' gasped Crutchy, his innocent face and wide eyes sat fixedly on her, scrunched with worry.  
  
"Oh, just shut up Crutchy! What have you done with me? Where am I? WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME!?!?" her cries rang out through the now silent bunkroom. She sat bolt upright and jolted from between the mob of boys. She ran downstairs, nearly tripping over herself many times. She reached the door and tumbled out.  
  
She began to run, and would have made it, if an arm hadn't reached out and grabbed her.  
  
"How do you know my name?" asked Crutchy, limping along and pulling her inside. She could have broken free from him easily, but if she ran where would she go?  
  
She thought of how to answer him. if she told him the truth they'd be sure to put her in an insane asylum. She racked her brains for an idea, and then figured that this stupid one was better than nothing. "I-uh-I was listening in on your meeting the other day, yous know? And, uh, I found out your names and about da strike and all."  
  
Crutchy eyed her suspiciously, but pulled her into the group of boys in the foyer. "So, I guess yous already know our names den?" said jack, stepping forward.  
  
"Yeah, I do." said gale, gathering more strength by the minute. She didn't want to think about how she got here, or even where she really was.  
  
"Name us." he said, just like she knew he would. He was always doing clever stuff like that, being witty and wise.  
  
"No problem." she said sternly. "Mush, Blink, or Kid Blink as his full name, Racetrack, Skittery, Crutchy, Dutchy, Specs, Stitches, and you, babe, are Jack Kelly." she looked each of them in the eye as she said their names."  
  
"O.K., so you know some of us. But what about the rest of us?" said Blink, smirking.  
  
"I only caught a few of yous names at the 'meetin', yous don't gotta intraduce me, just give me a formal meeting with a bed right now and I'll be yours foreva."  
  
Race smiled mischievously. "Right this way, malady."  
  
She frowned furtively. "Da names Gale. Dats it. Yous call me anyting else I'll deck, don't think I won't." she pushed past Race and made her way up to the bunk room where she stood staring at the many bunks. Race was about to show her to an empty one when she curled up on the floor and drifted off to sleep easily.  
  
He grinned, and reached down to kiss her on the cheek but was, shall we say, interrupted by a strong blow seemingly out of nowhere that Gale connected with his jaw.  
  
He rubbed his jaw for the second time that day, and smirked. "Night, Gale. Wes goin to sell tomorra."  
  
As he was leavin' the room he heard a soft, "Goodnight Race." and then he turned gently, and left.  
  
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Hope ya all loved that chapter, the next ones gunna be great. Oh, and Like No Other's next chapter is something I think VERY few of you, if any will be expecting. hehe! PLEASE REVIEW!!! I might just give you a wallaby faking his own somersault into a bag of salt held by a fruit with an oversized corn carnal. : p 


	6. Oh, The sick minds of people in new Yor...

Gale woke up at around 5 'o clock in the morning, around the time she was used to. Usually though, she would have to be woken up to a strong kick from her father, then set to work cleaning the whole house. She hated cleaning. Every time she scrubbed the floors she had to clean. . . . .her room.  
  
Gale shook away the hurtful thoughts and walked into the empty wash room. The rest of the boys probably wouldn't be up for another hour. She turned on the cool water from the showers. It didn't matter that there was only cold, she needed something to wake her up. She slowly pulled off Race's clothes, folding them and laying them in a neat pile. She stepped into the icy waters and her eyes winced in pain as the water splashed against her fresh, open wounds. But it wasn't that bad, she was used to pain.  
  
After she took a shower she slipped her hand out to feel for the towel she had put there.  
  
It wasn't there.  
  
She peeked just her head out to see Race standing there, a smirk on his face and the towel in his hands. "Race! Give me that towel!"  
  
"What'll you gimme for it?" he teased playfully.  
  
Gale was about to start yelling at him, when she got an idea. "Howabout a nice, big, juicy kiss?" she muttered seductively.  
  
Race smiled very big and said, "That sounds heavenly." he walked over to her head and she was just about to plant her lips on his when. . . . . . . .she slammed her fist into his stomach making him drop the towel which she quickly grabbed and wrapped around herself.  
  
"Smooth, very smooth." she said cockily, watching Race stand with his hands on his hips, staring at her mockingly like a parent.  
  
He raised an eyebrow at her comment. "What?"  
  
She realized that this might not be something they would say, whoever 'they' are, she thought warily to herself. "Oh,-uh-nuthin' just somethin' I picked up off of da streets." she smiled nervously, and Race let it go.  
  
"Well, yous' betta get ready. We're sellin taday." he said, and left the room to get ready.  
  
She grabbed her own clothes that she had taken from the other room and dressed quickly. She ran out to the main bunk room and was about to give race the clothes she borrowed when she gasped. All around the room boys were undressing, dressing, or completely undressed. Her eyes widened, but she was determined not to act dumb. She lowered her eyes to the floor and calmly walked to the bunk room door. She opened it and walked out into the hallway.  
  
"Tell me when yous boys is decent!" she called in.  
  
After about ten minutes she heard a muffled call from Race telling her it was all right to come in. She walked in looked around the room at the boys. She thought for a minute. What if she really was going crazy? What if she was just dreaming? What if she was at home lying in her bed, and she was thinking she was living with the newsies. She reached down and pinched herself hard.  
  
"Ow." she mumbled. Nope, she was definitely here. She walked over to Race and sighed. "So, where can I sell?"  
  
"Yous' can sell wit Mush over at Bottle Alley." he replied.  
  
"I don't need to sell wit anyone. I can do it by meself. Just tell me where to sell." she said firmly.  
  
"Have yous ever sold befoir?" he asked cockily.  
  
"Nope." she said truthfully.  
  
He smirked. "Then how would yous know how?" he taunted.  
  
She didn't feel like lying. "I know how, ok. Look, if you want, you can come down and watch me sell for a little while. Just to show yous I can do it."  
  
"I guess dats ok." he said, smiling.  
  
They newsies made their way down to the distribution office where Gale absentmindedly walked up to the window. "Hundred fitty' papes, Weasel." she said, smirking.  
  
She gave him the money out of the small sum she had saved from the money she had gotten from her grandmother before she died. It was very little to her, but if the newsies had known how much money she had they would have been very impressed.  
  
Right now, in fact, they were all staring at her in amazement. No one but Spot Conlon sold one hundred and fifty papers. Race walked up to her after buying his fifty papes. "Now I knows I never seen yous before buying papes here, howju know Weasel's name?"  
  
She was so confused she didn't feel like even trying to come up with a good excuse. "Lucky guess." she said before setting off towards somewhere to sell. Race caught up with her and decided to pass the comment off.  
  
"Wes goin' to an empty sellin' spot that if yous' do good at yous' can have." he said, leading her off.  
  
"Yeah, alright." she replied.  
  
He led her to the spot where he told her he would be watching her 'discreetly' to see if she could do it. Mush and Jack had been following them and hid with Race to watch what they thought was going to be an amusing show. "She aint gunna be able to sell one lousy pape." said Jack, smirking in a joyfully evil way. Then they settled back to watch.  
  
Gale walked out into the street slowly, her head low. The headline read 'Woman Tries to Put many Animals to Sleep.' Boy, am I glad I live in New York, she thought to herself. She knew exactly what to say.  
  
She lifted her head high and opened her mouth, "PERVERTED WOMAN SLEEPS WITH ANIMALS! DETAILED STORY!" Her cry rang out several times and people lined up to her, yelling for a paper.  
  
"Oh, the sick minds of people in New York." she murmured happily to herself as she shoveled off papers. She ran into the alley where she knew they boys were hiding after selling about thirty papes. Boy that girl could yell. People had come from far away when they heard her. She hid in the shadows with them, knowing the customers wouldn't be happy when they saw what the story really was.  
  
They three boys were staring at her in awe, their jaws swung open and their eyes wide. "Aw, close your mouths yous bummas." she said, smirking cockily.  
  
"And you never sold before?" gasped Mush.  
  
Gale was tempted to say, 'No, but I learned from the best. Thanks guys.' But she knew she would never explain that one. "Yeah, guess you just can't bottle my many talents. See yous boys around." she smirked and started to walk away.  
  
Mush and Race retreated to their own selling spots, murmuring together in shock. Jack, however, caught up with Gale for a second.  
  
"Hey, Gale. Manhattan's goin over to Brooklyn tonight to play poker. Me, Race, and yous is gunna head over der early. Race and me gotta do some bidness wit Spot, I want yous to come so hes' can meet ya."  
  
"Sure, whatever." she said, shrugging it off. He smiled and walked away, letting Gale alone to let the news sink in. She was going to meet. . . . .Spot Conlon, the leader of Brooklyn. She closed her eyes, mentally kicking herself. What had she gotten herself into?  
  
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Hope you liked that chapee! The next one's gunna rock! Really! PLEASE REVIEW! I'll give ya a baby bouncing on a hygienic marshmallow who is yelling for a kitten to kiss his boo boo! DUH! hehehe. Just, please review.  
  
3 Me! 


	7. If you're that Anxious

Gale had sold all of her papers in record time. She was smart, although she never really got a good education. She had this 'ora' around her where she knew what a person was feeling and what they needed. She trudged along, not really knowing where she was going. She managed to find Tibby's, which was where Jack had called out as he ran off she was supposed to meet him at. She walked in and the bell above the door tinkled merrily.  
  
She shook her hair, which now that it had been washed was sparkling, soft, and hung, beautifully around her shoulders. Her eyes scanned the restaurant, and quickly found Jack. He was sitting with Race and they were laughing and having cokes. Her shoulders drooped heavily. This is what normal teenagers do, hang out with their friends. / I missed out on my childhood, and it was all my fault. /  
  
She shook herself lightly and made her way over to them, her heart still heavy. The boys looked up as she neared and welcomed her.  
  
"Heya, Gale!" said Race. "Slide in, we'll be leaving soon. Yous want anyting fer lunch?"  
  
Gale pulled into the booth beside Race. "No thank you. I'm not hungry." her stomach was already doing flip flops at the thought of meeting Spot Conlon. She trembled beside Race. The air outside was cold and it had whipped through her thin body.  
  
Race noticed and slipped an arm around her shoulders. She frowned and shrugged him off, hanging her head towards the floor. Race was disappointed, but turned back to Jack.  
  
"So, how many papers yous got left, Gale?" questioned Jack.  
  
"None." she mumbled. "Uh, when are we going? Just wondering." she said, hoping the answer would be, I don't know, never.  
  
"Well, if you're that anxious to go, we'll leave right now!" said Jack briskly, already up and out of his seat and heading towards the door.  
  
"No! I mean, no. That's not what I meant, hey, wait! Oh, man." Gale was out of her seat and trying to explain to Jack what she meant, but it was no use. Race caught up after leaving the money on the table.  
  
"So, Gale, when we get there I'll intraduce yous to Spot, then yous hang out by the docks while we get done wit our business." explained Jack.  
  
"I'm gunna pretend like you weren't just telling me what to do, and say that I will accept to you OFFER, and do that." Gale said icily. She wasn't feeling that well, the knot in her stomach was growing and she was dreading every step towards Brooklyn.  
  
Jack smirked but stayed silent. Then, the Brooklyn docks came into view and they walked past many boys in just their under garments diving into the cool waters. Gale chose to ignore the familiarity of the docks as they made there way to where Spot could be found. She knew where she was now, but she just chose to not think about it. The more she thought about it the more she was convincing herself she was mental.  
  
Race and Jack stepped in front of her, shielding her from view. Then . . . she heard his voice.  
  
"Jacky-Boy! How yous doin? I suggest wes do dis meetin as soon as possible, Ise feel like getting a red head in here to 'satisfy' before poker night." said a strong, extremely cocky voice.  
  
Gale stiffened angrily. What was she expecting, Romeo? This was the King of Brooklyn. He got anything he wanted and why shouldn't he want sex? The no good, lousy, womanizer.  
  
"Yeah, jus a second, Spot. Foist wes want you to meet Gale." said Jack. Race and Jack separated showing Gale, who had straightened herself out and tried her best to look regal. Her breath caught in her throat.  
  
She looked at Spot and her body loosened. There was first his gorgeous brown hair that hung messily, but sexily, in front of his eyes. His eyes, well, lets just say Gale would have fainted if she wasn't trying so hard to be 'regal'. His eyes were a fierce gray blue. Like the mixture of a fearsome storm and a powerful iceberg. She stared into them, but only for a second. For when she did look at them her stomach seemed to drop to her shoes and jump right back up again.  
  
She moved down slowly, and then stopped. He was wearing a black, open vest and a white shirt that was unbuttoned at the top, showing his soft, smooth, creamy neck. Around his neck hung a small silver key. It was balanced dreamily against his pale skin, strung from a fine, silver chain.  
  
Gale couldn't move her eyes from his neck. As she stared at him her heart beat began to quicken, and her mind boggle. She suddenly turned away, looking straight at the waters glistening in the sunlight. But she had to look back when he spoke to her.  
  
"Hey there, Doll-face. Da name's Spot, Spot Conlon. King o' Brooklyn." he said, a casual air to his voice.  
  
She turned her gaze to a spot on the wooden boards behind him. "Nice ta' meet ya, Spot. Yous' call me doll-face again and I'll soak ya'." she tried to use the language she knew they used. Surprisingly, it came out easily.  
  
"She's a feisty babe, there. Aint she, Jack?" he teased.  
  
Gale's blood began to boil. She was about to let it go when she remembered what he had said about just 'getting' a girl to please him. He thought he was SOOOO hott. Well, she thought, I'll show him. He aint never going to be expecting me. She smirked, and turned with a new defiance against Spot.  
  
"There, Jack. I met the loser. I'm gunna go head back to da lodging house now. I'll come for poker wit da odder guys." she said coolly to Jack.  
  
"Aw, come one Doll face. This loser might just settle for a blonde, tonight." smirked Spot.  
  
Gale turned icily towards Spot, an odd look on her face. "If you ever, and I mean ever, suggest anything like that to me again, you little pervert, I'll make you wish you'd never been born. Sure, you're the King of Brooklyn. But you're also the most pompous, pathetic, most idiotic poirson' I have ever met. But I suppose you wont be telling all your whores that when you introduce yourself." and with that she turned on her heel and swiftly started to walk down the docks.  
  
"Gee, has she got a boot up her-" began Spot before Gale cut him off.  
  
"I hope you learn to watch your tongue around me, Conlon." She said sternly, still walking away towards the lodging house.  
  
Spot caught up with her, never the one to back down. "Yous' know, yous really tick me off, and I might let it get to me if yous wasn't such a looker."  
  
"Oh, really, just make sure you never get the word 'looker' confused with 'hooker'. Or you'll be one sorry moron." She replied, her face remaining expressionless.  
  
Spot was getting mad. "Listen here, don't nobody talk to me like dat, specially not some goil."  
  
Gale knew it was time to break out the vocabulary she had learned from having the only book she possessed be a dictionary. "Are you implying that women are inferior to the male race, Conlon?"  
  
"Wha'?" Spot stood there, scratching his head.  
  
"I'll be back later Jack!" she said again, and ran playfully down the docks.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hope you liked that chapter. I updated so much! Lol. These days off for Thanksgiving Rock!!!! SHOUT OUTS TO ALL WHO HAVE NO LIVES CEPT FOR NEWSIES!!!!! Luv ya!!!  
  
SWING HIAL.  
  
3 Me. 


	8. You Miss me?

Gale laughed inwardly to herself as she made her way back to the lodging house. She knew she had sounded like an uptight school m'arm, but at least she had gotten her point across. As she walked up the old, worn out steps to the lodging house's front door, she started to hum "High Times, Hard Times" softly, a slow smile across her face.  
  
/ But now, / she thought. / on to more important business. How in the world did I get from 2003 all the way back to the time of the newsies!? OK, now I know it had something to do with dat necklace, but how? Da box had always been empty before, and now suddenly der was a seemingly priceless and time warping necklace in der? I know needer of my parents gave it to me. Ha, what a laugh. They'd sell me if they could, but they both know I'm not worth anyting. So why did the necklace come to me? There were 6 billion odder people out there and I found the necklace. Or, more like it found me. It's all just too far fetched!!! All of those beatings must have finally gotten to me. My own mind decided to just let itself go. I'm crazy, bonkers, lost my marbles, off my rocker! That was kind of fun. Strange, though, I don't feel any different. Well, maybe that's how I'm supposed to feel. I wouldn't know, I've never been crazy before. At least I don't think so . . . . . /  
  
All this time Gale had been dazedly making her way through the lodging house and into the bunk room. Realizing she still didn't have a bed she leaned against the wall. / I don't even want to think about this anymore. / She closed her eyes and slid down the wall slowly, her head hung low in defeat.  
  
The boys in the room looked up as she came in; frowning as she doggedly slumped to the floor. "Is something wrong, Gale?" asked Mush, a little concerned.  
  
Gale looked up and blinked, she seemed to just notice that they were there. "Huh? Oh, no. I'm just fine. I decided just to head down with the rest of yous boys later to go ta Brooklyn."  
  
"Oh, that's fine. As long as yous sure yous alright. We'll be headin' there in about an hour. Yous looks tired. Oh! Ise fergot. We's betta get yous a bunk." Mush replied, already walking towards her.  
  
He extended a hand which she gladly accepted, and led her over to a bunk in about the middle of the room. Fortunately the free one was a lower bunk, and Gale fell onto it graciously. She snuggled into a pillow, face down. "Thanks Mush. Night, wake me up when it's time ta go." she said, the sound muffled but still Mush was able to make out what she was saying.  
  
"Sure ting, Gale. Night." he muttered softly, and then he and the boys went back to what they were doing.  
  
Gale was so exhausted that she immediately fell asleep, even with the shouts and rumbles of the newsies around her.  
  
In fact, it was kind of comforting.  
  
***********about an hour later**********  
  
Gale felt someone shaking her, and she didn't like it. It had only been ten minutes since she first lay down, or, at least that's what it felt like.  
  
"Gale! Wake up! We's gotta go ta Brooklyn!" said Specs, still shaking her.  
  
"Someone, make the shaking stop. I'll give ya a quarter." said gale, opening her eyes a crack.  
  
Specs stop for a moment. "Really?"  
  
"No." replied Gale, smirking.  
  
"Well then, get up!" laughed Specs.  
  
Gale finally sat up, her hair rumpled from the tossing and turning she had been doing. It had been a peaceful nap, don't get me wrong, but Gale had become used to switching around in her sleep. It helped not to keep the pressure on one wound for too long. She swung her legs out of the bunk and stood up. The rest of the boys were getting ready to head out, their faces set in joyful smiles and their money jingling temporarily in their pockets.  
  
She smoothed her hair quickly, just so it would stay out of her eyes, and walked towards Mush. "Say, Mush. Yous' know, I don't really think I wanna go to poker night. I think I might just catch foirty winks." she said, hoping he would buy it.  
  
The truth was she just didn't want to talk to Spot Conlon again. She had felt something so strange when she was looking at him. Oh, yes, now she knew what it was. Attraction. / blech. /  
  
"Nice try, Gale. I don't know why you don't want to go, but if it has to do with humiliation, you're going." teased Mush.  
  
"Gee, thanks. Nice to know you're already warming up to me." she laughed, and the boys began to troop downstairs.  
  
As the marched towards Brooklyn, figuratively speaking, of course, Gale tried to think of what she could do to avoid Spot. / Well, he is the King of Brooklyn, and he'll be the center of attention tonight, so this shouldn't be hard. / she thought to herself sarcastically.  
  
Much sooner than she would have hoped, they were there. All of them laughing and joking, practically skipping into the Brooklyn lodging house. While she miserably hung back, deciding the best thing to do would be to not go in at all. If she just stayed by the Brooklyn Bridge, she could join with them as they walked back and if they asked she would tell them she was in the lodging house, just blending into the background.  
  
But before she could get away a strong arm grasped her around the waist. "Gale! Been lookin' all over for ya'. Listen, don't let Spot get to ya, he's like that with all the goils. He just, I dunno, thinks he's betta. That came out wrong." said Race, barely dodging a fist she had thrown at him for surprising her.  
  
"Gee thanks, good to know he's supportive of equal sexes." she said sarcastically.  
  
"Hey, if it's got anyting to do wit sex, I'm all for it." said the cocky voice she already hated. "Hey der, doll face. You miss me?" said Spot Conlon, walking towards her.  
  
She grimaced. "Well, you know, not really. But that's only natural, isn't it? Who wants to go around missing repulsive faces all the time, it's just plain depressing. And I told you not to call me doll face."  
  
Spot didn't even blink; he just gave her that stupid smirk that made her cringe. "Aw, come on doll face. I tink da tally on insults has given me enough for a prize, don't you? Howabout a kiss?"  
  
He moved towards her, ready to grab her in a smooch. Then, suddenly, just as he was about to plant his lips on hers, she spit.  
  
On him.  
  
Not even on his shoe, no, right in his eye. "In your dreams, Conlon. You disgust me." she wriggled out of his way and stalked into the lodging house.  
  
Spot scowled, rubbing his eye. "Yous better get a grip on that goil's mouth, Jack."  
  
"Spot, yous was askin' for it. What'd you expect? Sides', she aint my property." Jack said with a smile, obviously proud of the new Manhattan newsie. He walked calmly into the lodging house with Race, and Spot followed reluctantly.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hope ya all liked that chapter! This story is so fun to write for me! lol. JUST PLEASE REVIEW! I get like no reviews when I check my e-mail. (Let's ignore the fact I check it like, every seven seconds. No! Still empty.) And when I get reviews it makes me wanna update so much! So, please review people! LUV YA!!!  
  
Swing Hial.  
  
3 Me. 


	9. It's going to be a wonderful Night

Gale searched for a spot near the back of the room where she could just blend in and not have to talk to anyone. She was finding it very hard not to crack up about what she had done to Spot, but it helped remembering what he had tried to do. / The perverted moron. / She thought angrily to herself. She sat in between to cushions at the back of the room, hiding behind a particularly buff boy, shielding her from view.  
  
She heard the unmistakable sound of Spot shushing the crowd in 'all his glory' as he settled down to play poker. Oh, how she wanted to play poker. She had a deck of cards that she had made herself from some old paper and a pencil. She would practice all sorts of games when she wasn't cleaning or being beaten. Since she wasn't aloud go outside and play, she had gotten very good at them. She would spend hours on end practicing, coming up with original tricks.  
  
She had learned how to play the original game from her father. He would bring his poker buddies over and she would be forced to watch because her father would let any of the men fondle her. She closed her eyes in pain as she remembered the many nights spent with greasy hand's rubbing up and down her innocent body. She didn't know what to do, she was so lost. They would laugh at her and grab her like a rag doll, doing whatever they pleased. It wasn't as if she had free will, anyway.  
  
As she listened to the other boys laugh and play poker, she nervously fiddled with her hands. If all she had wanted to do was to get away from Spot so much, then why did she feel the constant ache to see him? / GET OUT OF MY HEAD, CONLON! / She yelled in the confiscating area of her mind. She sighed deeply, and stood up, straightening her back.  
  
She slowly walked over to where the large circle where most of the head newsies were playing. She looked at Spot and his smug face and all feelings of want were gone. Well, except for the ones wanting to make him mad. She did a fake dainty saunter over to Race and sat down beside him.  
  
"So, I hear your da king of poker. What *is* it like?" she teased, playfully.  
  
"Aw, I still take time to look down on the little people once in awhile." he joked back at her.  
  
She laughed and punched his arm in a friendly way. Noticing the way Spot was eying the two of them warily, she knew her plan was working. She scooted closer to Race and leaned her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Say, Race, you mind if I just snooze here for da remainder of dis' fine evenin'?" she said, laughing.  
  
Race grinned widely and situated himself to make Gale more comfortable. "No problem here."  
  
She smiled and ruffled his hair. She then realized that flirting with Race came easy. It was fun and his shoulder was oddly comfortable. She sighed in a content way and looked at Spot.  
  
His expression was to die for. He was looking at the two as though they had just squirted monkeys out of their nostrils. But he quickly returned to a normal state and regained his annoying cockiness. Gale stared at him for a moment and then pulled away from Race. He looked at her, a bit disappointed, but she gave him a warm smile making him wink at her playfully.  
  
Spot glanced up from his cards and gave her his famous smirk. / That friggin smirk! / She yelled inside her head. "You going to sit out and do your make-up, Gale?" he jeered at her.  
  
She scowled at him, but inside she was laughing so hard. "Oh, you're going to pay for that one, Conlon." / Literally. / she added to herself.  
  
She made herself a comfortable yet professional seat in the circle and looked towards Jack. "Deal me in on this hand, Jack." she said, her face set in poker mode. Of course, she was willing to play nice with the boys, that is until Spot gave her a suggestive wink from across the table. She was going to play dirty.  
  
And she did. It didn't take long for her to twiddle the competition down to just her and Spot. Her emotions didn't show at all on her face, and her eyes were an eerie blank. Jack dealt them the cards and she arranged them expertly.  
  
Spot, too, was emotionless as he set down two cards. Jack replaced them carefully and turned to Gale.  
  
"None." she said calmly, arousing a smirk from Spot.  
  
She didn't even glance at her hand as Spot stared at her. She glared back at him, all force exerting from her shining green eyes. Whoever won this match was going to win big. The pot in the middle had been collecting and was a large sum. Spot smiled menacingly, an idea about to form in his mind. Still not breaking the stare he said, "Howabout, if I win, you have to give me a great big, steamy kiss?" he said, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.  
  
Gail couldn't help but snicker, this guy was insane. "OK, but if I win, you have to walk down to Medda's and back in a dress." she said calmly, still staring into his knee buckling eyes.  
  
"Deal."  
  
"Deal."  
  
Finally, Spot broke the gaze and straightened up, putting his cards down slowly. His hand was wonderful. It consisted of four jacks and a king. A wonderful hand.  
  
Spot gave her a kissy face and smirked. Her face remained emotionless as she lay down her hand.  
  
A straight flush.  
  
Spot's eyes widened in fear making Gale smile evilly.  
  
"It's going to be a wonderful night, Conlon." 


	10. It's For Spot Conlon

"Spot Conlon's gotta wear a dress . . . . . in public!" yelled Mush, howling with laughter, but was quickly silenced by the death glare from Spot.  
  
Spot was mentally banging his head against the wall. How could he have been so stupid? He had been so confident of his hand, and the image of him slamming Gale up against the wall passionately and her rubbing her body against his and them going into his bedroom . . . . . . . and well, it kind of masked the possibility of actually losing.  
  
But now it was plain and clear that he had lost, and what was even clearer was the inevitable humility he was going to suffer. But there was no way he could back out now. he had made a deal with Gale, and the King of Brooklyn was not one to back out of deals.  
  
Then a thought came into his head. "Do you even own a dress?" he said, turning towards Gale.  
  
"Now, Spot. Do you honestly think I am that dumb? I'll be right back, Jack, watch him."  
  
Gale peeled out of the lodging house, using her intuition to try and think of where Medda's was. Amazingly, she turned down a random street and there was bold sign of the vivacious Medda, staring down at her.  
  
She heaved a sigh of relief and ran inside. She was totally lost; the giant stairs loomed in front of her, the distant sounds of singing calling to her. She ran outside again and searched quickly for the door she knew was there.  
  
There it was, finally. She darted into the door where in the movie Jack, David, and Les had escaped into. Then, a pit began to form in her stomach. She saw how Medda had reacted when she thought teenagers she didn't know were sneaking into her show, she hated when people yelled at her. She would always cringe, knowing the blow was coming. She only hoped this Medda didn't hit too hard.  
  
She heard the singing that had filled her ears when she entered the backstage area stop, and footsteps coming closer. The door at the head of the small staircase opened and Medda herself stepped through.  
  
She was even more beautiful then she had seemed in the movie. Her red- orange hair was collected into a delicate bun, the hairs that had fallen out hung in ringlets around her face. Her blue eyes widened when she saw Gale, and her mouth opened to speak.  
  
But before she could say a word Gale quickly interrupted her. "Oh, please Medda, my name is Gale. I'm a friend of Jack Kelly; I just had to ask a small favor. I'm really sorry; I'll get out of here as soon as possible, just please don't hurt me.  
  
Gale said the words extremely fast as they bounced off of her tongue and tumbled over each other.  
  
Medda's face softened and she walked down the stairs. "Sweetheart, don't worry about it. Any friend of Jack's is a friend of mine. And where in the world did you get the idea that I was going to hurt you?"  
  
"You mean you're not?" said Gale, confusion on her face.  
  
"Of course not! I wouldn't hurt a fly, especially not such a pretty and polite fly." said Medda kindly. "Now, what was that favor you needed?"  
  
Gale smiled warmly, her whole body relaxing. "I-I need a dress."  
  
"Oh." said Medda. "Of course, right this way."  
  
She led Gale into a small room that was filled with clothes of all colors and sizes. Gale smiled brightly, immediately seeing what she wanted. She picked a revealing, ugly, extremely tacky dress from the center of a middle rack.  
  
Medda frowned slightly, "I'm not so sure that would be the dress for you." she said, trying to be nice.  
  
Gale laughed sweetly. "Oh, that's alright. It isn't for me, it's for Spot Conlon." she said.  
  
"What!?" exclaimed Medda.  
  
"I'll explain later!" called Gale, for she was already running out the door, the dress clutched in her hand.  
  
She darted lighting fast down to the Brooklyn Lodging house and burst through the door. Everyone turned, surprised at her sudden entrance, then their eyes made their way to the dress in her grasp.  
  
Gale laughed cheerily and held the dress up straight for everyone to see.  
  
It started as a small snicker, then it turned into a low chuckle, then a soft guffaw, and before she knew it the room was shaking with a dull roar, laughter spilling out of the room. Gale started to laugh too, her eyes swiveling to meet Spot's.  
  
His eyes looked tired, their beautiful color somehow saddened, showing disappointment. The truth was, he wasn't even looking at the dress, he was thinking of how that sweet that kiss might have been.  
  
But as Gale looked into his eyes, her cheeks began to flush. her heart began to pound again, and suddenly, she dropped the dress. "I don't want you to do it anymore." she said in a clear yell, the only way she could be heard above the laughing boys. They stopped laughing immediately, and looked at Gale. She was still staring oddly at Spot, her mouth slightly parted and her cheeks red. Spot was looking back at Gale, confused.  
  
Then, she spun around and ran out the door. Gale's feet seemed to make no noise at all on the dusty streets, she knew New York very well, and the street smarts she had already become accustomed to led her to the lodging house.  
  
She ran inside, past Kloppman, and up into the room. She fell into bed, the tears already streaming down her face. / What is wrong with me!? / she yelled to herself. / I don't understand it, I've never acted this way before. I want someone to hold me, I want to tell them what's wrong, I guess I want Race. /  
  
She had already become close to the boy, she felt like she could tell him anything, well, not anything. She didn't understand why she was feeling the way she did, why Spot made her stomach lurch and her emotions spill. She didn't think she would ever get to sleep, but finally, she did. Her eyes closed and she fell asleep not long before the Manhattan newsies came home.  
  
But if she had known the dream she was going to have, she would have never wanted to go to sleep ever again . . . . . . . .  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
OOoooOoooOOoOOOOOooo! hehe. I hope you liked that chapter, I really do. PLEASE REVIEW! PLEAASSEE! I have some bad news, well, you all probably hate my stories along with me so maybe its good news. : p. I am leaving on a trip tomorrow, and I won't be back fer a long time!!! PLEASE REVIEW so that when I come back I can be welcomed by a horde of reviews! I love you all and will miss you!  
  
Swing Hial.  
  
3 Me.  
  
P.S. Erin, I love you so much! You are my best friend and the greatest of the great, don't you ever stop thinking that! 


	11. Don't Leave Me

Gale was alone on an empty cobblestone street. There was a dense, omniscient, almost supernatural fog hanging in the air. Gale was in the newsie clothes and she was incredibly cold. The cold seemed to start at her soul and crawl through her whole body, stretching out to the ends of her now icy fingertips. The sky was black and the darkness seemed to suffocate her, closing in around her swiftly.  
  
"Hannah."  
  
She heard a soft voice say. The voice was innocent, childlike, and seemed a light mist, echoing off of the walls.  
  
"Hannah." she heard again, as a little girl pried her way through the web of fog.  
  
"Lily!" cried Gale, tears springing to her eyes.  
  
"I've missed you Hannah."  
  
"Oh, Lily, I've missed you too, so much. I tried to stop him, I did! Oh, I've missed you so much!" sobbed Gale, beginning to run to the small 3 year old girl.  
  
But before she could move a strong arm grasped her, making her immobile. Her tear streaked face whipped around and found. . . . . . . .Spot.  
  
"Spot!" she cried. "This is Lily, my little sister. Just let me go to her Spot, give her a hug. Then you can meet her." She tugged away from Spot, but he wouldn't let go. She looked at him confused. "Spot?" She looked back at Lily, whose face was as small and angelic as she remembered. Lily started to walk backwards very slowly. Although, it didn't seem like she was walking. It seemed as though her feet weren't touching the ground, she was just floating silently backwards.  
  
"Lily, where are you going?" Gale choked out.  
  
"You loved me, Hannah."  
  
"Of course I did!"  
  
"But you lost me, I was gone."  
  
"I know! Lily, Please! SPOT! Let go of me!" Gale cried earnestly.  
  
"You loved me. What happens if you love someone else? You'll just get hurt."  
  
"Spot! Let go of me, please!" shrieked Gale, sobbing again. She strained to get towards Hannah, but Spot wouldn't let her go.  
  
"You loved me."  
  
"Please, don't leave me again! I can't take it!" screamed Gale  
  
"Good bye, Hannah." whispered Lily, before the fog closed in front of her.  
  
"No. . . . . . . . NO! Lily, come back! Don't leave me, please! I'm begging you, come back! SPOT! You've got to help me find her! I can't lose her again!"  
  
But Spot was letting go of her arm and slipping away. Then, he was gone.  
  
"NO! NO! I can't take this! Please!" Gale sank to the ground, holding her head in her hands and sobbing uncontrollably.  
  
"Gale." someone said softly. "Gale!" It was getting louder. "Gale, WAKE UP!"  
  
Gale's eyes sprung open to reveal her lying in her bunk with all of the newsies crowded around her wearing worried and anxious faces.  
  
Jack looked down at her softly. "It's ok, Gale. It was just a bad dream."  
  
Mush elbowed his way to the inner circle. "You were so scared, all screaming and yelling."  
  
"Gee, Mush. That sure is helping." said Specs sarcastically.  
  
"I want Race." Gale said, her lips were dry and cracked and her voice hoarse.  
  
"What?" said Jack.  
  
Gale tried to clear her throat as best she could. "I want Race." She said, louder this time.  
  
Race stepped forward and took Gale's hand, clutching it tightly in his own. "It's ok now, Gale, I'm here."  
  
Gale gave a weak smile. "You guys can leave now, I think I'm alright." she said faintly. The boys turned to leave ad Race let go of her hand to go back to his bunk. "Wait!" she yelped softly. "Please stay with me Race." Race turned around and gently but firmly took her hand again.  
  
He kneeled down next to her and she leaned her head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. After about ten minutes he thought she wanted him to leave and he began to get up. Gale grabbed him back down and clutched him to her.  
  
"Please." she said softly. "Please don't leave me." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ok, now, I should have warned you. I guess chapter ten and this chapter were a bit fluffy. Please don't flame. Next chapter at the beginning is a little too, but, well, I think it will bring out some feelings some of you may have about a lot of the way stories here are done. You have no idea what I'm talking about. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! As a present to you, and as a declaration of having no life (other than Newsies), I shall be posting QUITE A BIT during this holiday break. I have a new story that I have been encouraged to post, but it's a little different for me and I'm not sure how people will react. If you want to read the first chapter of it, then please review. The first five people to review with a request to read it I will e- mail with the chapter. And, anyone who really thinks they can give an honest opinion of the story. Oh, and for this story and Like No Other, show me that you have holiday cheer and good spirit and review when I update. It doesn't take long and you probably don't think much of it but it means the world to me. (Yeash, my little note is getting longer than the chapter. lol.) SO PLEASE REVIEW! Please. I love you all. Merry Christmas.  
  
~~Swing Hial.  
  
3 Me! 


	12. A Friend

"Gale, time to wake up." said a soft and gentle voice in Gale's ear. She gave a light, "hmmmm", but otherwise paid no attention to the voice. "Gale. Everyone else is getting breakfast from the nuns, we need to get up." The voice said in the same caressing way. She felt her cheek being stroked lightly by coarse yet calming fingers.  
  
She forced her eyelids to push open slowly. She blinked a few times until she could look around. She was lying on her side in a bunk like her own, but right now she was facing the wall, as this bunk was at the far end of the room. There was something that was keeping her very warm, but she wasn't sure what.  
  
She turned around slowly in the bunk and was startled to find herself face to face with Race. "Oh, my gosh! You scared me half to death, Race." she said, chuckling lightly.  
  
"Sorry, last night you fell asleep I me arms, and you-uh-wouldn't let go, not that I minded at all." said race, instantly blushing. "Then, I just figured you wouldn't mind getting out of your hot and sweaty bunk and sleepin' in mine. I hope yous didn't mind."  
  
Gale smiled warmly, trying to ease his obvious worries. "Not at all. I can't thank you enough for, just, you know . . . . . being there for me last night. It meant more than I can say."  
  
Race became even pinker, but fought despairingly to hide the blush. "You've got the same problem I do." laughed Gale. "When I blush it crawls through me whole body, me ears turn pink!" Suddenly, her face went from merry and bright, to gloomy and solemn. "Its just . . . . . just . . . I never get a chance to blush much, or laugh, or even smile." Her eyes glazed over and she looked into space sorrowfully.  
  
"Gale . . . ." Race said lightly, touching her arm. Gale seemed to quickly snap out of her trance and she looked at Race as though just realizing he was there. Then, something clicked in her mind and she went back to normal, though slightly embarrassed.  
  
"Right!" she said briskly. "Go to sell papes, right?"  
  
Race smiled, happy she was ok, although he was still confused. "No, course not. We're on strike now, its official! That's what we went to see Spot Conlon about."  
  
Gale groaned loudly in an annoyed manner. Race smiled. "I know yous don't like Spot, but I can tell he likes you." Gale groaned even louder. Race laughed heartily. "Say Gale, why exactly, yous' know, didn't you make him do that dare?" he said quietly.  
  
Gale sighed and shivered, the bunk room air was colder than ice. Race opened his arms, offering a warm hold, but she pretended not to see and just wrapped the covers around her tighter.  
  
"Well, I'm not exactly sure." she started quietly. "I feel so incredibly stupid. It's not like I felt sorry for him, I want nothing more than to humiliate him. I can't believe I backed out on it; I'm never going to be able to explain this. I can't even explain it to meself. I was all for it, but then, I don't know, something changed."  
  
"Hmmmm." Race said understandingly. "One more thing though." He said, sounding hesitant.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Umm, who-who's Lily?"  
  
Gale closed her eyes sadly and opened them to find Race looking as though he absolutely wished he hadn't asked. "How do you know about Lily?" Gale asked softly.  
  
"Well, when yous was sleepin' and we couldn't wake yous up, you were yellin' about Lily. You seemed real scared."  
  
"Did I say anything else?" said Gale nervously.  
  
"No, cept 'Don't leave me'."  
  
Gale was a little relieved; at least she hadn't said anything about Spot. Gale felt really comfortable around Race, but not that comfortable. Not comfortable enough to tell him about Spot, about Lily, or about all of her feelings swarming around inside of her. She wondered why he was asking her this, and, as usual, she had to over-think things, so, maybe, that's why she said what she did.  
  
"Uh, Race, why . . . . why did you stroke me cheek when you were waking me up?"  
  
Race looked taken aback, but waited a moment before answering. "I don't know, I suppose I just wanted to wake you up gently."  
  
"Would you ever wake up Jack, Skittery, or Mush like that?"  
  
Race's eyes widened. "Of course not! Never!"  
  
"Then-then don't do it to me."  
  
Race got a hurt expression on his face, but still managed to be understanding. "Oh, sure ting. But, I'm not sure I understand."  
  
"It's just; I don't want to be anything more than just one of the guys. I don't want to be treated differently, or spoken to differently, or looked at differently. I'm just . . . just one of the guys."  
  
"Oh, yeah, I think I understand." said Race, still a little dejected.  
  
"Race, you are by far the person I've grown closest to, You're a great friend. But that's all I want, a friend. That's all I want from all of you. And Spot, well, I just want him to leave me the heck alone." Race smiled in spite of how depressed he was feeling. Gale smiled hesitantly at Race, hoping he understood. "Well," she said, "I better get dressed. Let me just . . . yeah . . . sorry. . I kind have to get over you to get out . . . . if you could just . . ."  
  
"RACETRACK HIGGINS! YOU IDIOT! I knew you were cheating one me!!!" said a shrill voice from the door. Gale head snapped to the front of the room where a tall girl with shoulder length brown hair, gray eyes, and a freckled nose stood gaping at them with her hands on her hips and her face very red.  
  
"My goil." said Race, visibly gulping. Gale wasn't exactly sure what the problem was until she saw how she and race looked. Race had his hands on Gale's waist and she was straddling him. Her hair was messed up from sleep and the covers made it look as though both were unclothed.  
  
In reality, the bed was up against the wall and she was just trying to get over the side of the bed. Gale was thinking fast, but her mind was blank on ways to explain this without sounding completely fake. "Listen, its not what it looks like-" she started to say before she was quickly interrupted.  
  
"Shut up, you slut!" the girl yelled. "I just KNEW that a low life gambler couldn't even BEGIN to know how to be an even halfway decent boyfriend!!!"  
  
"Well, hey now-"  
  
"You FREAK! You're worthless! I never liked you! You come in here with some stupid floozy, and its like I never happened! You always were horrible! And this girl! She's ugly, friggin ugly!!! She's a friggin whore! A dirty slut! She's probably about as smart as a door handle! Strike that! She's definitely DUMBER than a door handle! She-"  
  
"Get out." Race said fiercely, anger in his eyes.  
  
"EXCUSE ME?????"  
  
"I said get out!!!" Race yelled, his face red.  
  
The girl gaped at him. "You can't tell ME to get out!! I walk in on you and some lousy slut, and now you're tellin ME to get out?!? What, you just wanna finish the job!?"  
  
"I said GET OUT!!!!" Race roared.  
  
"You lying, cheatin', son of a-"  
  
"GET OUT!!!!!!!" The girl turned on her heel and ran out of the room.  
  
Gale gulped and looked down at Race, there were no words.  
  
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Hehe, I had to make the girl a real witch. How'd I do?!? haha. I hope you guys liked it, I have this really good chapter written, but it doesn't come out till later. lol. Can't wait. Oh, and chapter 22 of you-know-what is written! Well, you probably don't know, lol, but if for some reason you do, it's written!! I'm just not posting yet, to build up some suspense. And the fact that people who are attached to a certain character of mine and are still uncertain about that characters well-being might just hate me when I post it. that's a hint if I ever saw one! lol. I love you guys! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!  
  
Swing Hial  
  
~~Randy~~ 


	13. CRUTCHY!

HEY! FINALLY!!! AN UPDATE!!! About time too. Man, those people who make a story and then take, like, three months to update make me mad. No offense if you do that, it just the suspense drives me wild. Not that my writing could ever leave anybody in suspense, but hey, a girl can dream. Anyway, you probably haven't even noticed that I haven't updated in a while, heck, you probably wish I were still gone, BUT U CAN'T GET RID OF ME THAT EASY! lol. But, I was really busy lately and I had kind of a writer's block, but I kept feeling really sad and I didn't know why. last night I sat down with a pad and pencil and watched Newsies. By the end I had filled up 5 sheets of paper and my whole body was ITCHING to write. I started to write, and write, and write, and that sad feeling was completely demolished. I hope I go into a writing profession when I'm older, it makes me so happy, even if I do stink at it. Anyway, BIG news. You all know I have SOOOO much confidence in my work (note sarcasm), but you know what?....I REALY REALLY REALLY think this is going to be one of my BEST stories EVER! REALLY! I got so many AMAZING IDEAS FOR IT!!! Seriously, my heart burns to get this story out. So, now that I've made this note longer than this chapter, I will proceed. Oh! And I know I haven't followed the movie closely, but now I will. I might make a few slip up on the days of things, but its hard to fit a girl, a romance, a tragedy, and a noogie into a story with out that stuff. Maybe I'll take out the noogie. Anyway, don't flame me if I make a fart(not literally…well maybe literally…), because I'm trying my best. ON WITH THE SHOW!!!!

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"Race, I am SO sorry-" Gale started before Race put up a hand to silence her.

"It's nuthin', Gale. Things woulda' neva worked out. As yous could see, she didn't tink too much o' me."

"But still, I can't believe this happened. You should go talk to her, or maybe I can explain-" 

"No, really, I don't want ta' associate wit someone who would judge a poirson so wrongly, just a' how da situation looked."

Gale looked at him confusedly. "What are you talkin' about?"

"You, Gale. None of da stuff she said 'bout you was true. Promise me you didn't take it seriously."

"Oh, Race, believe me, it's not da foist time I heard it." said Gale, and inside her head was throbbing, as though the words 'its true' were literally pulsating against her strained temples. "An' Race, how do you know how I am, who I am. . . . yous barely even met me ya'self?" 

"Yeah, but I knows how beautiful yous are-"

"Race." Gale said softly.

Race sighed. "Right, I know, one of da guys. But anyways, she wasn't speakin' da truth, yous gotta believe me." 

Gale chewed the inside of her lip, a habit she had gotten into when she was trying to hold back an out burst of emotion. She knew, of course, Race was just trying to be sweet, to comfort her. But all he was really doing was lulling her into a false sense of contentment. She knew hoe she was, she had always be this way, and she always would. Ignoring the expectant look on Race's face, gale rolled off of him and stood up, stretching her achy bones. 

"I'm gunna get dressed." she said quietly before heading towards her bunk to get ready for the day. After Gale and Race had quickly dressed, they swiftly made their way down to the distribution office where the Manhattan newsies were just finishing, "Seize the Day". Race immediately joined in, his spirit's quickly lifting with each jump and twirl, but Gale stood quietly by the side of the road, keeping to herself. 

Gale scuffed her shoe along the dusty road creating a cloud of red particles to accumulate and linger in the air for a few seconds, before they slowly settled down to the ground, softly blanketing their small area in thin layers. Gale's eyes followed the process lazily. On the outside she was acting calm, tired, bored even. But on the inside electricity was thrashing through her veins and her heart was ricocheting off the walls. This-the first rampage of the strike-was one of her favorite parts of the movie. 

She was so invigorated and itching with excitement that at first she didn't realize what this meant. Then . . . . . . . it hit her.

_Crutchy_

_Oh no! _She thought. _I have to stop this . . . . . but can I? I mean . . . . is that allowed? Can I change what is about to happen? _Her face went from a pained and worried expression to a proud and defiant one. _I don't care what the rules are . . . if there _are _any rules . . . Crutchy has been nothing but nice to me since I . . . .came . . here, and I will not let this happen to him! _

"CRUTCHY!" Gale suddenly yelled. But, at the moment, Crutchy was linked in the amazingly choreographed, snake-like thingy. She ran up to the small statue square, darting in and out of the people. She finally spotted Crutchy innocently laughing like a little kid as he was swung around in a circle. She struggled towards him, but then . . . . . . the song ended.

With the cry of, "SOAK EM'!" The newsies rushed into the distribution center, all crowding around the platform where other boys were buying their papes. Gale pushed her way towards the front, searching earnestly for Crutchy.

A thud sounded.

_That's the first one, dropping his papes. _Thought Gale as her eyes still darted across many dirty faces, none of them the innocent and loveable face of Crutchy.

"We got a big one."

_OH NO! Here it comes……well……I might as well enjoy it, I can still get Crutchy out, I just gotta watch for the bulls. _

Then, the crowd erupted. Everyone was yelling and screaming, while Gale still stood there dumbly. Then, she did one thing she knew how. 

She joined the strike.

She let out a loud, "WOOP!!!!" and ran into the mob of boys. Grabbing a squishy tomato from a nearby box she chucked it at the distribution office, watching as it slid down the window. A few seconds later the door opened and Oscar and Morris ran out, only to be instantly clobbered by the hoard of waiting newsies. Gale grabbed a paper, her face alight with ecstasy. Forgetting all problems she let loose, and for the first time in her life . . . . . she had fun.

She ripped the paper into shreds, laughing loudly and screaming at the top of her lungs. She was so happy it took her a second to think of what she had to do. 

As hard as it was she squeezed through the crowd to peek around the gate to know when the bulls were coming. Just as she got a quick look at the streets a loud and shrill whistle sounded, followed by the clatter of horse hooves against hard cobblestone.

"BEAT IT, IT'S DA BULLS!" Race screamed.

Despite the pandemonium Gale tried her hardest to push against the enormous group of boys hustling out of the distribution center. Gale screamed as a strong arm linked against her own, pulling her away into the street. Wrenching her head to the left she saw Race, determination set on his face. 

"RACE! LET GO OF ME!"

"Crutchy, it's da bulls!" she heard  Jack yell, but its too late.

Gale pushed with all her might against Race and against the newsies, finally breaking free and running with all her might towards the distribution center. Most of the other boys had run away with the crowd, leaving her an easy passageway to get to Crutchy. 

"Heya Fella's" She heard Crutchy say nervously, his voice cracking. Finally, she saw him, being dragged away through a horde of crumpled papers. 

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Race and Mush stepped in front of her, quickly grabbing her and pulling her away, despite her cries.

"NO! STOP! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'LL DO TO HIM!" Was the last thing she got out before both she was out of site . . . . 

. . . . . . .and before Crutchy blacked out.

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Now's the time where I beg you for reviews. *gets on hands and knees* PLEASE! PLEASE REVIEW! PLE-wait…..I have an idea. *gets up* 

*cough* *cough cough* Please review my crappy story, lady. *cough*

That'll getch ya! Lol. I love you guys!

Swing Hial

~~Randy~~


	14. Disgusted

   Hey, just to clear up any confusion that might have been created…..this isn't the movie; this is the actions of the movie. She went back in time and is part of those actions. She wasn't worried about changing the movie, but about changing the past, no matter how small a change. Yeah, my friend was confused so I thought I'd clear that up. Lol. So, on with the chapter!

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Gale ran her hand through her hair slowly and tiredly one more time. She propped her elbow up on the worn table and rested her forehead in the small curve of skin between her thumb and pointer. Closing her eyes she let out a long and drawn out, haggard sigh. For what seemed like the millionth time that night she lightly shook her head, she was disgusted.

Disgusted with herself.

_I can't believe I did this. I can't believe I let him down. I knew what was going to happen to him, but what did I do? I just let him get dragged off. I can't believe I let it happen!!!_

Gale put her hands flat out on the table and hit her head on the rough wood. Raising her head up slowly she brought her head back down again, creating a loud "smack", followed by about one thousand creaks from the decrepit table.  She pulled her head up again but was stopped from slamming it down by a hand that grasped the back of her shirt, jerking her back up again. The hand released her and she slowly lowered her face to the table, letting it rest on the cold wood.

"Gale, you've got to stop beating yourself up about this. It wasn't your fault!" said Race who was pacing the floor in front of the table. Gale, Race, and a few of the other boys were in the lodging house kitchen, anxiously talking about the days "adventure".

Gale heaved her head up to an erected position on her shoulders. Her face and body drooped with disappointment and her neck looked strained as though it were taking a great effort to hold up the weight of her head. She stared at Race blankly for a few moments, and then her features took on a more annoyed manner.

"I _know_ it wasn't all my fault, _Racetrack._ What do you think I did, grab my _own _arm and pull me away from my friend who was about to get worked over by a couple of lousy punks?!?!?"

"Hey!" said Race, becoming defensive. "What were you goin' ta do, take both of 'em on single handedly!?"

"Uh…let me think about that one…..YES!" shot back Gale, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "What, did you think a little girl like me couldn't handle 'em? Huh? Is that what ya' think of me. . . . that I'm a little weakling? Huh? Huh?" She had leaned across the table as she said this; her face was now inches away from Race's.

Race frowned. "Don't do that, yer' remindin' me of Spot."

Gale's face once again crumbled into a defeated stare and she collapsed back into her chair. She didn't look up when she heard the door open and slam shut, but she did shift her gaze to David's when he walked over to Race, accompanied by Jack.

"We're going to get Crutchy." Said Jack. "We should be back soon. If we're not back within three hours, send out….wadja call 'em . . . ."

"Reinforcements?" filled in David.

"Yeah, reinformants. Got it?" Jack said, grabbing his coil of rope off of the small round table where Gale was seated.

"Yeah, alright." Replied Race.

"You're wasting your time." The boys looked, surprised, at the small voice that had just spoken, belonging to Gale.

"What are you talking about?" said Jack, a perplexed gaze on his face.

"He wont come, he can't. And you can't get him to come, he's too dang stubborn, too dang proud."

"Gale, what in the world are you saying?" Race was getting a little weirded out.

_Oh, shoot. Now they think I'm crazy. _Thought Gale. "It's nothing, I don't know. I guess I'm just sad, and I'm worried about him. Worried that they hurt him real bad." Said Gale, doing a half-way decent job at sounding convincing. It was true, she was sad, and she was worried, but she already knew what had happened.

"Hey, its ok Gale. He'll be back tonight before ya' know it, and all your worries will be over." Said Jack, looking relieved that Gale's "foggy" state had left her.

"Yeah, alright." Gale whispered, pain in her voice. The others assumed it was over Crutchy, but it was really pain over being helpless, and pain over losing her chance to be helpful.

Jack and David left the house, but Gale knew that it would be in vain. Crutchy wouldn't come . . . . . because he _couldn't come._

Race walked over to Gale and knelt beside her. "Its ok, Gale." He whispered softly in her ear, sending enjoyable pricks down her spine. He took her hand and she numbly stood up with him. He gently led her upstairs, placing his other hand on the small of her back and leading her in the right direction. He took her to her bunk and released her hand only for a second to pull back her blankets. 

Laying her down in bed he tucked her in tenderly. Ignoring Gale's previous comments of the morning and assuming she was in too much of a state to really notice, Race slowly bent down and placed a kiss on Gale's creamy forehead, letting his lips linger there for a few seconds before drawing back and retreating out the door.

Gale slept soundly that night, a certain spot tingling on her forehead.

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Now I will commence with the begging……..*coughs*……PLEASE!! PLEASEE REVIEW!!!! MY FATHER, HE LOST HIS PLANTATION AND ME MAMA, SHE SICKER THAN A SACK O' POTATOS IN JULY! 

Yeah.

~~Randy~~


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